Mesh Feeders

Why I Love Mesh Feeders (Available for purchase HERE)

By Karina Gonzalez, MS, CCC-SLP.

    

 Picture source: Amazon.com

Many parents are afraid of introducing solid foods due to the risk of choking, however, this fear can be put at ease with a mesh feeder. Mesh feeder are exactly what the name says, it’s a mesh pocket that can be filled with fruits, veggies or any other solid food you would like your child to have. They have a plastic handle that babies can use to grip. As your child chews and suckles on the feeder, the contents come out through the mesh in a mushy texture that is safe for your baby to swallow. A mesh feeder can be used as early as 4 months of age, as long as your child has good head control and has no issues with swallowing. There are many benefits to using a mesh feeder, and these include:

1.       Promotes the development of chewing. Your baby needs to learn to chew, in order for this to happen solids need to be introduced on time. The mesh feeder allows the introduction of solids early enough for your baby to begin using the up and down movement that will eventually become chewing.

2.       Promotes hand to mouth action. This is part of normal development and a skill that will be necessary for self-feeding. Your baby needs to practice bringing his hands to his mouth, and using a mesh feeding is an excellent tool to promote it.

3.       It is a great gum massager and soother for teething. Place some frozen fruit or ice in the mesh feeder for a quick way to soothe sore gums during teething.

4.       Assists with diminishing the gag reflex. Your baby is born with a strong gag reflex; this is nature’s way of protecting your baby. As your child grows the gag reflex needs to move further in the mouth, otherwise feeding will be very difficult. Different textures in the mouth, including your baby’s hands, toys, will assist with eliminating this reflex, and the mesh feeder is a great tool for this as well, as it will provide many textures and flavors. If your child gags, don’t worry, you should see less and less of this with time.

Mesh feeders are available HERE.

 As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us speakeatplay@gmail.com. Be sure to subscribe to receive new blog entries and updates to your inbox.

Be sure to read our post on pacifier use and how they affect speech and feeding development, HERE, and when to wean off a bottle, HERE.   

Have you used a mesh feeder before? If so we would love to hear what you think of them. Feel free to comment below.